By Dongyun Kwon
An Animal Aid volunteer is wishing to share the joy of volunteering with the local community.
Linda Lloyd, a Gladysdale resident, has been volunteering for about 11 years for Animal Aid.
Ms Lloyd’s heart is filled with love of animals as she has always been living with them since she was a child.
She has had animals from cats and dogs to rabbits, guinea pigs to farm animals.
Ms Lloyd said she decided to volunteer at the Animal Aid’s shelter one day a week as she had some spare time, reducing work.
“I help in the welfare cattery including cleaning cages, feeding, washing blankets and organising the kitchen areas,” she said.
“When it’s kitten season, I am usually in the kitten room, but when we don’t have many kittens, I would help in other areas as well.
“I also help the staff members with any assistance they might need like holding a cat for medicating.”
During kitten season, Ms Lloyd often takes home one to two-week-old kittens as well and bottle-feeds them until they are well enough to be cared for at the shelter.
This includes waking every two to three hours during the night to feed them.
Since Ms Lloyd retired, she has volunteered two full days a week, spending one day helping out the Animal Aid Op Shops in Croydon South or Blackburn if they are short-staffed.
“The op shops are one of our revenue raises for our welfare programs for dogs and cats,” the volunteer said.
In 2022, Ms Lloyd was awarded the Alexander and Stella Grierson Award, given to volunteers who have made a significant contribution to Animal Aid, named after the founders of Animal Aid.
Ms Lloyd wants other locals to feel the same joy from volunteering.
“I love volunteering there because there are so many people with the same mindset of trying to help domestic animals,” she said.
“We give them medical assistance if they’ve been hurt, and if they’re in a situation where nobody claims them, we try to find them a loving home.
“Our volunteering is covering a lot of different types of activity.”
To apply to volunteer at Animal Aid, please visit Animal Aid’s website at animalaid.org.au/lend-a-hand
